For those living under rocks for the last several months, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission has decided to chop up Walter Reed Army Medical Center, closing the Center's current location and merging its components into other activities, including a joint medical center at Bethesda. There are efforts to stop it, but they will likely fail. Partly because there are good reasons for it. Economic reasons, efficiency reasons.
The US doesn't do monuments very well. We're not big into public buildings to the same extent as other advanced industrial nations. Economy, efficiency and pork-barreling tend to determine where we spend our money on public projects, and on the one hand that's admirable (except for the pork-barreling), and on the other it's a shame.
Walter Reed, Tripler, and Bethesda are names that have enormous significance for me. There are many other big military hospitals that have done similar work, and one of those isn't that far from here, in Bremerton. My father-in-law spent time there decades ago when he was on active duty as a Marine, and remembers that time to this day. But the big ones are cultural landmarks, in my not so humble opinion.
These are halls where heroes were cared for. Whatever you may think of the various wars they fought in, nearly everyone appreciates the often world-class care the servicemen have received at the big three. Whether you think they were defending liberty and justice, or you think they were hapless victims of politicians, it's hard to believe anything other than that they deserved the best we could give them. And if you think they didn't deserve it, then, well, fuck off and go find another blog to read. And yeah, go ahead and see how long your comments to the contrary stay up. I'm a firm believer in the concept of a ruling class. Especially since I rule.
Mind ye, I'm not an idiot. I received terrible health care from military hospitals as a young man, so I know they didn't all get the best. But the big three have often been on the cutting edge of medical techniques and technology, and their patients, military and otherwise, have benefited from that.
So here's to hoping that the realignment doesn't screw things up. That something laudable is done with the old buildings. And that we don't forget Walter Reed's name.
*much love to Michael Penn for the lyric, and for his own thoughts on the matter.
PS: better readability in this font?
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2 comments:
I have mixed feelings about it.
In order to keep the same cutting edge quality of care that WR is known for, it may actually be in the best interest to close it. OTOH, I'm a firm believer in adaptive reuse when it comes to older buildings and structures and would like to think that with just a little bit of money, they could've updated WR to continue in its mission.
OTOH, such adaption and modernization of its qualities would almost assuredly force a temporary closure during which time the troops would need to be cared for elsewhere. Considering the conflicts US troops are currently involved in, now is not a good time to temporarily close a hospital.
Rest assured that WR will not be forgotten. I couldn't find WR listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Bethesda Naval Hospital Tower is listed) and I don't know if it's ever been evaluated for eligibility for inclusion, but it's probably a safe bet that someone out there is working up a nomination of WR for the NRHP.
I'm not sure who'd suggest that troops don't deserve good medical care. Everybody deserves good medical care.
Hey! I just saw you down here, misty. I shall take your font advice in the future.
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